Parenting in Adolescence and Young Adult Intimate Partner Violence

Most prior studies of intimate partner violence (IPV) have relied on traditional indices of parental support, control, or coercion to examine the nature and extent of parental influences. We explore whether parents’ more general attitudes toward their child’s dating and associated parenting practices are related to the young adult child’s report of IPV, once traditional parent factors and other covariates are introduced. Using data from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (n = 625), results indicate that net of covariates, parental negativity about their child’s dating and related parenting practices are associated with later reports of IPV during young adulthood. Parent–child conflict and the child’s own feelings of gender mistrust were considered as potential mediators. Results suggest the importance of moving beyond support, control, and parents’ own use of violence to include a range of parental attitudes and behaviors that influence the child’s approach to and conduct within the romantic realm.